St Theodore's Way is ready to walk!

Phil McCarthy • March 11, 2024

St Theodore's Way is a Pilgrim Way for the Diocese of Salford from the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist in Salford to the Christian Heritage Centre, Theodore House, Stonyhurst College. Theodore of Tarsus was Archbishop of Canterbury from 668 to 690. He helped to unify the English Church after the Synod of Whitby and successfully promoted Anglo-Saxon scholarship.


The Way follows the River Irwell north out of Salford, diverting to the Church of St Sebastian in Charlestown. The route follows the Salford Trail, the Irwell Sculpture Trail and the towpath of the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal to reach Bolton. Here the Church of St Patrick and the former Ukrainian Catholic Church of All Saints are visited. The route continues north passing the Church of the Holy Infant & St Anthony in Astley Bridge, to Dimple, then follows the Wilton Weavers Way across moorland. The Way descends to the Church of the Sacred Heart in Darwen and then continues north passing near to the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Higher Croft. The Way traverses Blackburn passing Blackburn Anglican Cathedral, the Church of St Anne, the Polish Catholic Centre and the Church of the Holy Souls. The Way then crosses farmland to the former Cistercian Abbey and the Church of the English Martyrs at Whalley. Finally the Way crosses farmland to reach the Church of St Peter and Theodore House at Stonyhurst College.

MORE INFORMATION
By Phil McCarthy January 19, 2026
News from pilgrimways and plans for 2026!
L
By Eddie Gilmore January 6, 2026
Pilgrimage can be life-altering and transformational as this walk to Dover along the Via Francigena demonstrated.
Photograph  of a Christmas card depicting The Adoration of the Magi in the Scrovegni Chapel
By Phil McCarthy January 6, 2026
Happy New Year and a blessed Feast of the Epiphany when we remember the visit of the wise men or Magi to the infant Jesus!
By Phil McCarthy December 22, 2025
I was delighted to be invited to record this brief Advent reflection for the Catholic Bishops' Conference (England and Wales) Wave of Hope series. My focus was the 2025 Jubilee Pilgrimage of Hope.
By Anna FitzPatrick December 19, 2025
The Laudato Si Circle based at Blackfriars in Oxford undertook a pilgrimage for the planet!
By Phil McCarthy December 16, 2025
A pilgrim way in Oxfordshire following St John Henry Newman’s spiritual path.
By John Paul de Quay December 15, 2025
A new resource for those interested in the impact of pilgrimage on the environment.
By Rowan Morton-Gledhill December 15, 2025
This year, the Annual Diocesan St Wilfrid’s Way Pilgrimage was walked for the 10th time!
By Anne E Bailey December 5, 2025
A new video of the Jubilee Pilgrimage of Hope from Anne E Bailey
O
By Alex Knox December 3, 2025
Over the last 12 months, Alex Knox walked Britain’s newest pilgrimage with its youngest pilgrim. This is their story.